History of Kilburn and West Hampstead

Walking through the park today, I thought how fortunate we are to have this green space in Kilburn.  One hundred and ten years ago, on 1 May 1913, the gates to Kilburn Grange Park were thrown open to the public for the first time, but without any fanfare or celebration. The fact that we have the park owes more to good luck than careful planning, as this story shows.  The park takes its name from a large mansion, The Grange, which was built in 1831, despite claims about it being a much older property. The house stood facing Kilburn High Road, where the Grange Cinema, now used by the Universal Church, stands today.    Kilburn 1893 showing The Grange and its grounds The Peters family were there from 1843. Thomas Peters was a successful and wealthy coach builder who made coaches for Queen Victoria. The last occupant was Mrs Ada Peters, the widow of his son John Winpenny Peters. Ada died in the house on 5 February 1910. For more information about Ada and her lover the Mar...

In 2012 we published an e-book entitled ‘The Marquis de Leuville: a Victorian Charlatan?’ The charismatic Marquis was the lover of Ada Peters who lived in Kilburn. She was the wealthy widow of John Winpenny Peters, who owned a successful coach building business which made coaches for Queen Victoria. John died in 1882 at The Grange, a mansion on the Kilburn High Road, roughly where the Grange Cinema (currently used by the church group UCKG), and Grange Park are today. As was the case with many marriages at the time, John’s will made some personal provision for Ada, but if she re-married, she lost most of her inheritance including the right to live at The Grange, and the house with its extensive grounds would revert to the Peters family. Instead Ada and her Marquis decided to enjoy her considerable fortune and never married but their relationship lasted many years. For more information the e-book can be found here. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Marquis-Leuville-Victorian-Fraud...